Selecting a Conveyor Drive
Content
SPECIFICATION DEVELOPMENT
GET THE RIGHT CONVEYOR DRIVE SYSTEM FOR THE JOB
By Ronald Fedder, Marketing Manager, Rexnord Industries, LLC
T
he selection of conveyor drive
components is a comprehensive,
investigative process involving
input from multiple parties: facility
management, corporate personnel,
consultants and equipment suppliers,
to name a few. Culling the
knowledge and expertise of all
individuals involved should result in
the proper selection of conveyor
drive components that prove durable,
efficient and cost-effective to help
achieve a facility’s long-term
production goals. (Figure 1)
But, during this involved selection
process, are details overlooked? Do
elements conflict? Are all parties
“on the same page?” How can it be
ensured that the appropriate
conveyor drive equipment is selected
and installed?
Specifications. It is the consistent
communication document between
the facility owner, consultants and
suppliers (Figure 2) for proper
equipment selection. Therefore, its
development is paramount.
Specifications define what is
required of the complete conveyor
system to provide an expected
performance level.
Owner
Figure 1 — A durable, efficient and cost-effective conveyor drive system will help a facility
achieve its long-term production goals.
The specification must be crafted to
the project’s unique needs, including
site conditions, production
expectations, company culture,
service support and the equipment’s
long-term value. If components are
lower in cost and of a proven
technology (Figure 3 Point A), a
simpler specification process,
utilizing reputable brands and
catalog standard products, should
result in the appropriate components,
and provide the lowest operating
cost. But if components are of high
Detail
B
SPECIFICATION
TYPE
Project Goals
A
Brand
Low
Consultant
Figure 2 — A team approach.
Suppliers
$ VALUE
Figure 3 — Specification Type versus
Equipment Value
High
cost and critical importance (Figure
3 Point B), a more extensive
specification is necessary.
SPECIFICATION
DEVELOPMENT
Specifications are drawn upon the
cumulative experience of a
company’s staff or a consulting
engineering firm. Reviewing existing
specifications, benchmarking similar
installations and investigating
component options with suppliers
will result in the best possible
specification for the application at
hand.
A specification’s objective is to
define the expected level of drive
system performance. This
expectation should be clearly
identified in order to provide
equipment suppliers with the proper
direction for component
recommendations. To obtain
equivalent proposals from potential
suppliers, the specification should be
Service Factors
Nature of
Application
Standard
Critical
Duty Cycle
Conveyor Loading
Less than 10 hrs/day
Greater than 10 hrs/day
Uniform
Heavy Duty
Severe
Uniform
Heavy Duty
Severe
1.25
1.25
1.75
1.50
1.50
2.00
1.25
1.50
2.00
1.50
1.75
2.25
Figure 4 — This chart identifies typical service factors based on the nature of the application,
conveyor loading parameters and the conveyor’s duty cycle.
detailed, allowing minimal
interpretation. Specifications,
though, should invite alternatives,
providing manufacturers the latitude
to offer designs that are superior and
more total cost-effective than those
specified.
The general specification defines the
overall project requirements.
Elements to detail include: project
scope and schedule; site
location/conditions; terminology
definitions; system description;
design standards;
electrical/mechanical interfaces;
pricing; brand preferences; terms and
conditions; non-inclusions or items
supplied by the buyer; quality
assurance/testing requirements;
references; and project and bid
submittal processes.
GEAR DRIVE
SPECIFICATIONS
The gear drive is a precision
component that relies on solid
design, quality components and
precise assembly to achieve a
reliable operating system. Proper
gear drive application requires a
selection based on many operating
parameters, including input power,
load demand, external loads, duty
cycle, environment, system
accessories and facility needs.
Gear drive selection is then made
based on a service factor that
accounts for the non-uniformity of
torque by the driving and driven
machines. For detailed
specifications, gear bending strength
rating, gear pitting resistance rating,
bearing L10/L50 life and specific
feature considerations must be
considered. Typical service factors
2
for most conveyors are 1.25
uniformly loaded, 1.5 heavy-duty,
and 2.0 severe duty, all with a
reduction of 0.25 for service less
than 10 hours per day. (Figure 4)
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l gear drive location
l input (motor)/output (head shaft)
rpm and speed range (if variable)
l motor, load and lift power,
acceleration/speed control method
l duty cycle, hours per day, days per
year
l service factor
l rating standard for a complete gear
drive AGMA 6010E88 or ISO
TR13593 (DIN 3990 applies to
gearing only)
l uni-directional or bi-directional
loads
l multiple drive loadsharing, starting
sequence
l sound levels (if applicable)
l accessories and options
The best determinant of equipment
supply is a successful relationship
with a supplier who fully
understands the needs of your
company, project and facilities.
However, in order to compare
equipment options on an equal basis,
common design and selection criteria
need to be established.
A simple specification, quoting to a
specific AGMA (American Gear
Manufacturers Association) or ISO
(International Standards Association)
standard and service factor, will
provide comparable bids, provided
the suppliers are honest in their
proposals. Simply stating “rated to
AGMA or ISO standards” will not
do! A specific standard number must
be referenced to ensure an equal
comparison.
In some situations, more
comprehensive specification criteria
will be necessary to assure that the
equipment will meet the technical
requirements of the project. Specific
specification criteria, as outlined in
this article, will produce a more
rigorous comparison of conveyor
drive components, ensuring a gear
drive is selected that proves
dependable in achieving planned
production goals.
CONFIGURATION
The configuration (Figure 5) details
the required mounting and general
physical layout for the conveyor
drive installation. Space limitations,
structural costs or maintenance needs
may dictate the need for a particular
drive configuration.
Figure 5 — Examples of different drive
configurations
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l parallel, right-angle or concentric
shafts
l foot or shaft mounted assembly
l hand or assembly, consider drive
commonality goals
l direct connected or belt/chain
connected
l motor type (NEMA/IEC, foot or
flange mounted), frame size and
weight
HOUSING
The gear drive’s housing material
and rigidity are critical to obtaining
high mesh accuracy or full pitch line
contact. The housing supports the
gearing and, depending upon its
specification, provides additional
application benefits. For example, a
fabricated/cast steel housing
provides superior impact resistance,
while cast iron provides better noise
reduction and vibration dampening.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l fabricated/cast steel or cast iron
housing material
l sufficient housing rigidity that is
commensurate with gear quality
numbers to assure proper contact
under a full load
l housing split orientation
(horizontal/vertical) or easily
serviceable construction
l blind drilled and tapped fastener
holes to eliminate the potential for
oil leakage
l gear/internal component
inspection capabilities
l drive/motor bases, made from
stress relieved fabricated steel with
machined mounting surfaces, to
accept all system components;
base should be designed to
withstand starting/stopping loads
and load moments, and feature
motor and accessory adjustment
screws
l with shaft mounted drives, specify
a torque arm that properly anchors
the drive and permits free
movement without binding
l stainless steel identification tags
mechanically attached to the
housing
GEARING
Gearing is the heart of the gear drive.
It must be designed to work as a
system with the shafting, bearings
and housing to provide high mesh
accuracy under dynamic loading
conditions. Many of today’s drive
trains are computer-modeled to
ensure accuracy and efficiency.
For more comprehensive
specifications, a service factor on
bending strength and pitting
resistance should be included. A
service factor accounts for the
non-uniformity of torque by the
driving and driven machines.
Bending strength indicates the load a
tooth can carry without a bending
fatigue failure. (Figure 6) Pitting
Bending Strength/Motor
Power Ratio
Nature of
Application
Standard
Duty Cycle
Less than 10
hrs/day
Greater than 10
hrs/day
1.50
1.75
Figure 6 — Bending strength is the load a
tooth can carry without a bending fatigue
failure.
resistance is the load a tooth can
carry without damaging the profile
from surface pitting. (Figure 7)
Pitting Resistance/Motor
Power Ratio
Nature of
Application
Standard
Critical
Duty Cycle
Less than 10
hrs/day
Greater than 10
hrs/day
1.25
1.50
1.50
1.75
Figure 7 — Pitting resistance indicates the
load a tooth can carry without damaging
the profile from surface pitting.
Gear quality numbers should also be
provided in the bid for reference. A
quality number of AGMA 10-12 is
standard for modern case carburized
and finished ground gears. To
compare AGMA quality numbers to
DIN quality numbers, subtract the
AGMA number from 17 to obtain an
equivalent DIN quality number.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l single helical or spiral bevel gear
types
l case carburized and finish ground
gear design
l minimum gear class of 10 AGMA
(7 DIN)
efficiency minimum of 99 percent
per mesh helical, 98.5 percent per
mesh spiral bevel
l 200 percent momentary overload
capacity
l bending strength and pitting
resistance service factors on
detailed specifications
For critical systems, typically 1,000
HP (750 kW) and larger, full details
for each reduction stage and
component rating summaries should
be outlined. (Figure 8)
l
SHAFTING
Shafting is rated on its ability to
accommodate bending and torsional
loads. Shaft loads result from
external forces due to misalignment,
belt drives, chain drives, flywheels,
brakes or other accessories.
Depending upon customer
preference, inch and metric shaft
extensions are available from most
manufacturers.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l inch or metric design standard
l unit assembly arrangement
l required extensions (solid shaft,
hollow bore diameter, tapered
bushing or shrink disk connection)
l special requirements
BEARINGS
Anti-friction bearings are typically
chosen for most conveyor drive
applications. Tapered, spherical or
straight roller bearings are the
common types used.
To specify bearing performance, a
bearing life expectancy
measurement, called bearing L10, is
utilized. Bearing L10 life represents
the point at which 10 percent of a
group of identical bearings will
experience a spall of 0.01 square
inches. It is the life expectancy
associated with 90 percent reliability.
Most bearing manufacturers employ
a more detailed bearing rating
method that considers actual
operating conditions, such as
operating temperature, lubricant
type, nature of filtration or
contamination, bearing material,
3
Rating Summary Data Sheets Each Reduction
Shaft
Radial load, at drive side bearing (lb)
At non-drive side bearing (lb)
Thrust (lb)
Bearing number, drive side
Non-drive side
Thrust
Pinion
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Gear
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Gearing
Transverse diametrical pitch
Helix angle
Operating pressure angle
Number of teeth
Pitch diameter
Hardness BHN
Face width
AGMA quality number
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AGMA Strength Coefficients
Kv
Ko
J
Km
Ks
Kl
Kt
Kr
Sat
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I
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Cm
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Cs
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Cf
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Cp
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Cl
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Ch
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Ct
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Cr
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Sac
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AGMA gear set quality number
______________________
Gear set bending strength rating
______________________
Gear set bending strength service factor
______________________
Gear set pitting resistance rating (AGMA) ______________________
Gear set pitting resistance service factor
______________________
Gear Rating ( hp )
Service factor =
Motor ( kw )
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AGMA Durability Coefficients
Cv
Co
Figure 8 — This worksheet details the information to be outlined for critical systems 1,000 HP (750 kW) and larger.
4
geometry and load zone. A proper
specification defines unity (1.0)
bearing rating life adjustment factors
or uniform criteria for a detailed
analysis by all suppliers. (Figure 9)
Bearing L10
Recommendations
Nature of
Application
Standard
Critical
Most industrial gear drives are
equipped with a radial lip, labyrinth
or face seals. The integrity of a radial
lip seal system depends on the
successful operation of all
components: plunge ground shaft
Duty Cycle
Less than 10
hrs/day
Greater than 10
hrs/day
10,000
25,000
20,000
50,000
LUBRICATION
ABRASIVE
CONTAMINATION
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Specifying an excessively high L10
can have an adverse effect on
bearing performance, resulting in
bearing loads so light that the rollers
skid, rather than roll as intended.
Bearing failures are associated with
contamination, poor lubrication,
overload, excessive vibration and
improper bearing load zone or
settings. A high L10 value does little
to prevent these failures.
Using the correct oil and operating at
lower temperatures by installing
additional cooling and filtration can
economically extend bearing life and
performance.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l readily available commercial roller
bearings; spherical, cylindrical or
tapered roller type
l bearing L10 life based on unity
(1.0) factors for temperature and
oil cleanliness, or uniform criteris
for detailed analysis.
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GREASE BARRIER
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Figure 9 — Bearing L10 life helps specify
the most appropriate bearing life for a
particular application.
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DUAL-LIP SEALS
KEEP THE OIL IN
Figure 10 — Viton™ lip seals offer superior
resistance to high temperatures and
chemical attack. This illustrates a lip seal
with a grease purge feature.
journal, lip seal, lubricant, and seal
housing bore. (Figure 10) Lip seals
are usually Nitrile material and they
are also available in premium
Viton™, offering superior resistance
to high temperature and chemical
attack. For larger drive systems
provisions should be made to replace
the seals without moving the major
drive components.
Labyrinth and bush seals are
premium non-contact sealing
systems that last indefinitely.
(Figure 11) A grease purgeable
OIL TO BEARING
GREASE FITTING
GREASE
RADIAL BUSH SEAL
SEALING
Properly sealed gear drives avoid
repair expenditures and facility
downtime. Any interfaces where oil
could leak out or contaminants could
permeate the gear drive must be
sealed. The use of sealants and
gaskets are proven methods for
sealing structural components.
Critical interfaces to seal include
housing joints, retainer/seal cage
joints, breathers, piping and shaft
seals.
AXIAL BUSH SEAL
GREASE
EXCLUSION
SEAL
DRAIN BACK PASSAGE
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l breather filtration to 20 microns
l contact seals (Nitrile or Viton)
with grease purged barrier seals
l optional labyrinth seals with
contaminant exclusion system for
larger drives
BEARING
OIL
INSIDE
REDUCER
Lubrication is crucial to long life and
reliability. Viscosity is the single
most important property of
lubricating oils. For a gear drive to
function properly, oil viscosity must
be kept within certain limits.
An oil should be selected with a pour
point of 10º F (5º C) below the
minimum system starting
temperature, with a maximum
viscosity of 15,000 cST (70,000
SUS). If a drive is equipped with an
oil pump, the maximum viscosity
should not exceed 1,725 cST (8,000
SUS). Minimum viscosity should not
be less than 33 cST (155 SUS) at
maximum operating temperature.
The oil cannot be so thick that it will
not flow and yet not too thin that the
gear teeth are not protected by a
lubricant film.
The gear drive manufacturer should
specify a lubrication method and
lubricant appropriate for site
conditions. Depending upon the
drive size and cooling requirements,
lubrication can either be dip/splash
and gravity fed or pressure fed.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l drain valve for oil changes
l oil dipstick or sight gauge to check
oil level and quality
l dip lubrication with continuous
flow or pressure lubrication for
larger systems
l dual 10-20 micron filters for
pressure lubed systems
Figure 11 — Labyrinth and bush seals last
indefinitely.
cavity or contaminant exclusion
system is recommended for severe
environments.
5
COOLING
l
Conveyor drive cooling methods
include natural cooling, shaft fan(s),
electric fan(s) and heat exchanger(s).
(Figure 12)
CONNECTIONS
F
93
200
82
180
71
160
60
140
49
120
38
SUMP TEMPERATURE
C
100
HP 0
KW 0
Natural
Shaft Fan
Electric Fan
Cooling Tubes
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,000
75 150 225 300 375 450 525 600 675 750
average gear drive operating
temperature of 160º F (71º C)
Gear drive connections for
conveyors are generally shaft
couplings, v-belt drives and/or
hollow shaft locking devices used for
shaft mounting.
The four primary types of couplings
are grid, gear, disc and elastomer.
(Figure 13) Grid or elastomer types
are appropriate selections for
Figure 12 — Drive system size and ambient
conditions influence the appropriate cooling
method.
With today’s compact drives, natural
cooling is practical only with the
lower power range of conveyor
drives. Not specifying auxiliary
cooling results in a substantially
oversized drive or the use of through
hardened gearing.
Shaft and electric fans offer a simple
and effective means of cooling for
many requirements. For very large
gear drives, a pump and air-to-oil
heat exchanger, combined with an oil
filtration system, provides a quality
cooling system. If a motor or pump
is employed, monitoring is strongly
recommended to provide warning
and shutdown prior to a catastrophic
failure.
Thermal rating, the maximum power
a gear drive can continuously
transmit without exceeding a
specified maximum oil temperature,
is an important consideration when
selecting a cooling method. An
acceptable mean oil temperature is
160º F (71º C). Operating
temperatures above 200º F (93º C)
will significantly reduce lubricant,
contact seal and drive life. Site
conditions, such as altitude and
ambient air temperature, are also
important to the thermal rating
calculation.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l site elevation and ambient
conditions (high/low temperatures)
l minimum start up temperature
6
Figure 13 — The four primary types of
couplings are (top left) disc, elastomer, grid
and gear.
high-speed connections, while grid
couplings are generally the best
all-around selection for low-speed
connections.
V-belt and synchronous belt drives
are used extensively on parallel-shaft
mounted drives in powers up to 200
HP (150 kW) or for space-restricted
installations.
Shaft mounted connections (Figure
14) include flanged low-speed
couplings, hollow low-speed shafts
RIGID COUPLING
PURCH SHAFT
TORQUE ARM
VIEW OF LOW SPEED SHAFT
Figure 14 — A shaft mounted right angle
drive.
with shrink discs or tapered
bushings. For large shaft mounted
conveyor drives, a flanged low-speed
coupling is preferred, due to its ease
of mounting and ability to use
standard gear drives.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l coupling type (grid, gear,
elastomer, disc), lubricated or
non-lubricated, torsionally rigid or
torsionally soft
l shaft diameters/keys
l service factor equal to gear drive
l clearance with set screw(s) or
interference coupling hub fits
l shaft coupling face key required
for high-speed backstop-equipped
applications
l hub puller holes or hydraulic
removal required on larger
couplings
l guarding that is compliant with
OSHA 1910.219 (Standard –
29CFR) Mechanical Power
Transmission Apparatus and in
conformance with ANSI and
ASME B20.16-1992 Safety
Standards for Conveyors and
Related Equipment and
B15.16-1998 Safety Standards for
Mechanical Power Transmission
Apparatus
PAINT
l
For most conveyor requirements, the
manufacturer’s standard paint
provides adequate protection against
corrosion. If a gear drive will be
exposed to a corrosive environment
and/or chemical attack, a premium
paint should be specified.
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brakes (holding, dynamic)
flywheels (shaft mounted, jack
shaft mounted)
inching drives (manual, automatic)
heaters (immersion, recirculating)
monitoring devices (temperature,
vibration, speed, pressure/flow)
qualifications (ISO 9001, etc.)
references
After specification evaluation, a
contract is awarded. The chosen
supplier must adhere to the
negotiated contract. Once the
equipment is installed and
commissioned, ongoing monitoring
of operational performance should be
made to determine if the owners’
requirements were successfully met.
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CONCLUSION
A specification is the process of
accumulating and applying actual
experience to develop guidelines and
requirements for new equipment
procurement. The gear drive
specification considerations for
conveyors outlined above will guide
facility personnel, consultants and
equipment suppliers in the proper
and dependable compilation of
conveyor drive system components
to meet a project’s productivity
requirements and goals.
Figure 15 — Drives exposed to direct sunlight will run cooler with a white reflective paint.r
(Figure 15)
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l type of paint finish: one coat
phenolic alkyd primer with finish
coat alkyd enamel (standard paint )
or two coat epoxy paint with
abrasive blast for corrosive
environments
l color, if required, to match
uniform color or to reflect direct
sunlight (white)
l if standard paint will be top-coated
at the job site, check for
compatibility
ACCESSORIES AND
OPTIONS
In addition to the gear drive
assembly, there are accessories and
options that can be integrated to add
functionality and increase
performance. They include:
l soft start/controls (fluid,
electronic, variable)
l backstops (internal, external, low
speed)
REVIEWING SPECIFICATION
PROPOSALS
After the equipment proposals have
been received, a thorough review of
costs, conformance, alternatives and
suppliers must be completed. It is
recommended that the proposal be
reviewed in detail with those
suppliers under serious
consideration. Information that is
necessary during this review process
includes:
l pricing/initial costs
l data sheets
l operating costs
l warranties
l manufacturer’s product
specifications
l testing (no load, full load),
inspection (assembly, test,
commissioning) and verification
(documentation)
l commonality/spares costs
l service information and support
network availability (local
representation, factory support,
regional inventory, Internet)
References
Errichello, R. 1987, “How to buy a gearbox,”
Geartech, June.
Martin, J. 1993, “Conveyor system
specification development for surface
mining,” Martin Consultants, Inc., February.
Fluor Daniel, Project specifications, various.
Bechtel, Project specifications, various.
CEMA, 1994, “Belt conveyors for bulk
materials,” 3rd edition.
Falk, 1997, “Conveyor drive technology
seminar,” May.
Form 000305, August 2007
GET THE RIGHT CONVEYOR DRIVE SYSTEM FOR THE JOB
By Ronald Fedder, Marketing Manager, Rexnord Industries, LLC
T
he selection of conveyor drive
components is a comprehensive,
investigative process involving
input from multiple parties: facility
management, corporate personnel,
consultants and equipment suppliers,
to name a few. Culling the
knowledge and expertise of all
individuals involved should result in
the proper selection of conveyor
drive components that prove durable,
efficient and cost-effective to help
achieve a facility’s long-term
production goals. (Figure 1)
But, during this involved selection
process, are details overlooked? Do
elements conflict? Are all parties
“on the same page?” How can it be
ensured that the appropriate
conveyor drive equipment is selected
and installed?
Specifications. It is the consistent
communication document between
the facility owner, consultants and
suppliers (Figure 2) for proper
equipment selection. Therefore, its
development is paramount.
Specifications define what is
required of the complete conveyor
system to provide an expected
performance level.
Owner
Figure 1 — A durable, efficient and cost-effective conveyor drive system will help a facility
achieve its long-term production goals.
The specification must be crafted to
the project’s unique needs, including
site conditions, production
expectations, company culture,
service support and the equipment’s
long-term value. If components are
lower in cost and of a proven
technology (Figure 3 Point A), a
simpler specification process,
utilizing reputable brands and
catalog standard products, should
result in the appropriate components,
and provide the lowest operating
cost. But if components are of high
Detail
B
SPECIFICATION
TYPE
Project Goals
A
Brand
Low
Consultant
Figure 2 — A team approach.
Suppliers
$ VALUE
Figure 3 — Specification Type versus
Equipment Value
High
cost and critical importance (Figure
3 Point B), a more extensive
specification is necessary.
SPECIFICATION
DEVELOPMENT
Specifications are drawn upon the
cumulative experience of a
company’s staff or a consulting
engineering firm. Reviewing existing
specifications, benchmarking similar
installations and investigating
component options with suppliers
will result in the best possible
specification for the application at
hand.
A specification’s objective is to
define the expected level of drive
system performance. This
expectation should be clearly
identified in order to provide
equipment suppliers with the proper
direction for component
recommendations. To obtain
equivalent proposals from potential
suppliers, the specification should be
Service Factors
Nature of
Application
Standard
Critical
Duty Cycle
Conveyor Loading
Less than 10 hrs/day
Greater than 10 hrs/day
Uniform
Heavy Duty
Severe
Uniform
Heavy Duty
Severe
1.25
1.25
1.75
1.50
1.50
2.00
1.25
1.50
2.00
1.50
1.75
2.25
Figure 4 — This chart identifies typical service factors based on the nature of the application,
conveyor loading parameters and the conveyor’s duty cycle.
detailed, allowing minimal
interpretation. Specifications,
though, should invite alternatives,
providing manufacturers the latitude
to offer designs that are superior and
more total cost-effective than those
specified.
The general specification defines the
overall project requirements.
Elements to detail include: project
scope and schedule; site
location/conditions; terminology
definitions; system description;
design standards;
electrical/mechanical interfaces;
pricing; brand preferences; terms and
conditions; non-inclusions or items
supplied by the buyer; quality
assurance/testing requirements;
references; and project and bid
submittal processes.
GEAR DRIVE
SPECIFICATIONS
The gear drive is a precision
component that relies on solid
design, quality components and
precise assembly to achieve a
reliable operating system. Proper
gear drive application requires a
selection based on many operating
parameters, including input power,
load demand, external loads, duty
cycle, environment, system
accessories and facility needs.
Gear drive selection is then made
based on a service factor that
accounts for the non-uniformity of
torque by the driving and driven
machines. For detailed
specifications, gear bending strength
rating, gear pitting resistance rating,
bearing L10/L50 life and specific
feature considerations must be
considered. Typical service factors
2
for most conveyors are 1.25
uniformly loaded, 1.5 heavy-duty,
and 2.0 severe duty, all with a
reduction of 0.25 for service less
than 10 hours per day. (Figure 4)
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l gear drive location
l input (motor)/output (head shaft)
rpm and speed range (if variable)
l motor, load and lift power,
acceleration/speed control method
l duty cycle, hours per day, days per
year
l service factor
l rating standard for a complete gear
drive AGMA 6010E88 or ISO
TR13593 (DIN 3990 applies to
gearing only)
l uni-directional or bi-directional
loads
l multiple drive loadsharing, starting
sequence
l sound levels (if applicable)
l accessories and options
The best determinant of equipment
supply is a successful relationship
with a supplier who fully
understands the needs of your
company, project and facilities.
However, in order to compare
equipment options on an equal basis,
common design and selection criteria
need to be established.
A simple specification, quoting to a
specific AGMA (American Gear
Manufacturers Association) or ISO
(International Standards Association)
standard and service factor, will
provide comparable bids, provided
the suppliers are honest in their
proposals. Simply stating “rated to
AGMA or ISO standards” will not
do! A specific standard number must
be referenced to ensure an equal
comparison.
In some situations, more
comprehensive specification criteria
will be necessary to assure that the
equipment will meet the technical
requirements of the project. Specific
specification criteria, as outlined in
this article, will produce a more
rigorous comparison of conveyor
drive components, ensuring a gear
drive is selected that proves
dependable in achieving planned
production goals.
CONFIGURATION
The configuration (Figure 5) details
the required mounting and general
physical layout for the conveyor
drive installation. Space limitations,
structural costs or maintenance needs
may dictate the need for a particular
drive configuration.
Figure 5 — Examples of different drive
configurations
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l parallel, right-angle or concentric
shafts
l foot or shaft mounted assembly
l hand or assembly, consider drive
commonality goals
l direct connected or belt/chain
connected
l motor type (NEMA/IEC, foot or
flange mounted), frame size and
weight
HOUSING
The gear drive’s housing material
and rigidity are critical to obtaining
high mesh accuracy or full pitch line
contact. The housing supports the
gearing and, depending upon its
specification, provides additional
application benefits. For example, a
fabricated/cast steel housing
provides superior impact resistance,
while cast iron provides better noise
reduction and vibration dampening.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l fabricated/cast steel or cast iron
housing material
l sufficient housing rigidity that is
commensurate with gear quality
numbers to assure proper contact
under a full load
l housing split orientation
(horizontal/vertical) or easily
serviceable construction
l blind drilled and tapped fastener
holes to eliminate the potential for
oil leakage
l gear/internal component
inspection capabilities
l drive/motor bases, made from
stress relieved fabricated steel with
machined mounting surfaces, to
accept all system components;
base should be designed to
withstand starting/stopping loads
and load moments, and feature
motor and accessory adjustment
screws
l with shaft mounted drives, specify
a torque arm that properly anchors
the drive and permits free
movement without binding
l stainless steel identification tags
mechanically attached to the
housing
GEARING
Gearing is the heart of the gear drive.
It must be designed to work as a
system with the shafting, bearings
and housing to provide high mesh
accuracy under dynamic loading
conditions. Many of today’s drive
trains are computer-modeled to
ensure accuracy and efficiency.
For more comprehensive
specifications, a service factor on
bending strength and pitting
resistance should be included. A
service factor accounts for the
non-uniformity of torque by the
driving and driven machines.
Bending strength indicates the load a
tooth can carry without a bending
fatigue failure. (Figure 6) Pitting
Bending Strength/Motor
Power Ratio
Nature of
Application
Standard
Duty Cycle
Less than 10
hrs/day
Greater than 10
hrs/day
1.50
1.75
Figure 6 — Bending strength is the load a
tooth can carry without a bending fatigue
failure.
resistance is the load a tooth can
carry without damaging the profile
from surface pitting. (Figure 7)
Pitting Resistance/Motor
Power Ratio
Nature of
Application
Standard
Critical
Duty Cycle
Less than 10
hrs/day
Greater than 10
hrs/day
1.25
1.50
1.50
1.75
Figure 7 — Pitting resistance indicates the
load a tooth can carry without damaging
the profile from surface pitting.
Gear quality numbers should also be
provided in the bid for reference. A
quality number of AGMA 10-12 is
standard for modern case carburized
and finished ground gears. To
compare AGMA quality numbers to
DIN quality numbers, subtract the
AGMA number from 17 to obtain an
equivalent DIN quality number.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l single helical or spiral bevel gear
types
l case carburized and finish ground
gear design
l minimum gear class of 10 AGMA
(7 DIN)
efficiency minimum of 99 percent
per mesh helical, 98.5 percent per
mesh spiral bevel
l 200 percent momentary overload
capacity
l bending strength and pitting
resistance service factors on
detailed specifications
For critical systems, typically 1,000
HP (750 kW) and larger, full details
for each reduction stage and
component rating summaries should
be outlined. (Figure 8)
l
SHAFTING
Shafting is rated on its ability to
accommodate bending and torsional
loads. Shaft loads result from
external forces due to misalignment,
belt drives, chain drives, flywheels,
brakes or other accessories.
Depending upon customer
preference, inch and metric shaft
extensions are available from most
manufacturers.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l inch or metric design standard
l unit assembly arrangement
l required extensions (solid shaft,
hollow bore diameter, tapered
bushing or shrink disk connection)
l special requirements
BEARINGS
Anti-friction bearings are typically
chosen for most conveyor drive
applications. Tapered, spherical or
straight roller bearings are the
common types used.
To specify bearing performance, a
bearing life expectancy
measurement, called bearing L10, is
utilized. Bearing L10 life represents
the point at which 10 percent of a
group of identical bearings will
experience a spall of 0.01 square
inches. It is the life expectancy
associated with 90 percent reliability.
Most bearing manufacturers employ
a more detailed bearing rating
method that considers actual
operating conditions, such as
operating temperature, lubricant
type, nature of filtration or
contamination, bearing material,
3
Rating Summary Data Sheets Each Reduction
Shaft
Radial load, at drive side bearing (lb)
At non-drive side bearing (lb)
Thrust (lb)
Bearing number, drive side
Non-drive side
Thrust
Pinion
______________________
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Gear
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
Gearing
Transverse diametrical pitch
Helix angle
Operating pressure angle
Number of teeth
Pitch diameter
Hardness BHN
Face width
AGMA quality number
______________________
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______________________
______________________
AGMA Strength Coefficients
Kv
Ko
J
Km
Ks
Kl
Kt
Kr
Sat
______________________
______________________
______________________
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I
______________________
Cm
______________________
Cs
______________________
Cf
______________________
Cp
______________________
Cl
______________________
Ch
______________________
Ct
______________________
Cr
______________________
Sac
______________________
AGMA gear set quality number
______________________
Gear set bending strength rating
______________________
Gear set bending strength service factor
______________________
Gear set pitting resistance rating (AGMA) ______________________
Gear set pitting resistance service factor
______________________
Gear Rating ( hp )
Service factor =
Motor ( kw )
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
AGMA Durability Coefficients
Cv
Co
Figure 8 — This worksheet details the information to be outlined for critical systems 1,000 HP (750 kW) and larger.
4
geometry and load zone. A proper
specification defines unity (1.0)
bearing rating life adjustment factors
or uniform criteria for a detailed
analysis by all suppliers. (Figure 9)
Bearing L10
Recommendations
Nature of
Application
Standard
Critical
Most industrial gear drives are
equipped with a radial lip, labyrinth
or face seals. The integrity of a radial
lip seal system depends on the
successful operation of all
components: plunge ground shaft
Duty Cycle
Less than 10
hrs/day
Greater than 10
hrs/day
10,000
25,000
20,000
50,000
LUBRICATION
ABRASIVE
CONTAMINATION
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
aa
a
a
Specifying an excessively high L10
can have an adverse effect on
bearing performance, resulting in
bearing loads so light that the rollers
skid, rather than roll as intended.
Bearing failures are associated with
contamination, poor lubrication,
overload, excessive vibration and
improper bearing load zone or
settings. A high L10 value does little
to prevent these failures.
Using the correct oil and operating at
lower temperatures by installing
additional cooling and filtration can
economically extend bearing life and
performance.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l readily available commercial roller
bearings; spherical, cylindrical or
tapered roller type
l bearing L10 life based on unity
(1.0) factors for temperature and
oil cleanliness, or uniform criteris
for detailed analysis.
a a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
GREASE BARRIER
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Figure 9 — Bearing L10 life helps specify
the most appropriate bearing life for a
particular application.
a
a
a
a
a
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aa
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
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a
DUAL-LIP SEALS
KEEP THE OIL IN
Figure 10 — Viton™ lip seals offer superior
resistance to high temperatures and
chemical attack. This illustrates a lip seal
with a grease purge feature.
journal, lip seal, lubricant, and seal
housing bore. (Figure 10) Lip seals
are usually Nitrile material and they
are also available in premium
Viton™, offering superior resistance
to high temperature and chemical
attack. For larger drive systems
provisions should be made to replace
the seals without moving the major
drive components.
Labyrinth and bush seals are
premium non-contact sealing
systems that last indefinitely.
(Figure 11) A grease purgeable
OIL TO BEARING
GREASE FITTING
GREASE
RADIAL BUSH SEAL
SEALING
Properly sealed gear drives avoid
repair expenditures and facility
downtime. Any interfaces where oil
could leak out or contaminants could
permeate the gear drive must be
sealed. The use of sealants and
gaskets are proven methods for
sealing structural components.
Critical interfaces to seal include
housing joints, retainer/seal cage
joints, breathers, piping and shaft
seals.
AXIAL BUSH SEAL
GREASE
EXCLUSION
SEAL
DRAIN BACK PASSAGE
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l breather filtration to 20 microns
l contact seals (Nitrile or Viton)
with grease purged barrier seals
l optional labyrinth seals with
contaminant exclusion system for
larger drives
BEARING
OIL
INSIDE
REDUCER
Lubrication is crucial to long life and
reliability. Viscosity is the single
most important property of
lubricating oils. For a gear drive to
function properly, oil viscosity must
be kept within certain limits.
An oil should be selected with a pour
point of 10º F (5º C) below the
minimum system starting
temperature, with a maximum
viscosity of 15,000 cST (70,000
SUS). If a drive is equipped with an
oil pump, the maximum viscosity
should not exceed 1,725 cST (8,000
SUS). Minimum viscosity should not
be less than 33 cST (155 SUS) at
maximum operating temperature.
The oil cannot be so thick that it will
not flow and yet not too thin that the
gear teeth are not protected by a
lubricant film.
The gear drive manufacturer should
specify a lubrication method and
lubricant appropriate for site
conditions. Depending upon the
drive size and cooling requirements,
lubrication can either be dip/splash
and gravity fed or pressure fed.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l drain valve for oil changes
l oil dipstick or sight gauge to check
oil level and quality
l dip lubrication with continuous
flow or pressure lubrication for
larger systems
l dual 10-20 micron filters for
pressure lubed systems
Figure 11 — Labyrinth and bush seals last
indefinitely.
cavity or contaminant exclusion
system is recommended for severe
environments.
5
COOLING
l
Conveyor drive cooling methods
include natural cooling, shaft fan(s),
electric fan(s) and heat exchanger(s).
(Figure 12)
CONNECTIONS
F
93
200
82
180
71
160
60
140
49
120
38
SUMP TEMPERATURE
C
100
HP 0
KW 0
Natural
Shaft Fan
Electric Fan
Cooling Tubes
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,000
75 150 225 300 375 450 525 600 675 750
average gear drive operating
temperature of 160º F (71º C)
Gear drive connections for
conveyors are generally shaft
couplings, v-belt drives and/or
hollow shaft locking devices used for
shaft mounting.
The four primary types of couplings
are grid, gear, disc and elastomer.
(Figure 13) Grid or elastomer types
are appropriate selections for
Figure 12 — Drive system size and ambient
conditions influence the appropriate cooling
method.
With today’s compact drives, natural
cooling is practical only with the
lower power range of conveyor
drives. Not specifying auxiliary
cooling results in a substantially
oversized drive or the use of through
hardened gearing.
Shaft and electric fans offer a simple
and effective means of cooling for
many requirements. For very large
gear drives, a pump and air-to-oil
heat exchanger, combined with an oil
filtration system, provides a quality
cooling system. If a motor or pump
is employed, monitoring is strongly
recommended to provide warning
and shutdown prior to a catastrophic
failure.
Thermal rating, the maximum power
a gear drive can continuously
transmit without exceeding a
specified maximum oil temperature,
is an important consideration when
selecting a cooling method. An
acceptable mean oil temperature is
160º F (71º C). Operating
temperatures above 200º F (93º C)
will significantly reduce lubricant,
contact seal and drive life. Site
conditions, such as altitude and
ambient air temperature, are also
important to the thermal rating
calculation.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l site elevation and ambient
conditions (high/low temperatures)
l minimum start up temperature
6
Figure 13 — The four primary types of
couplings are (top left) disc, elastomer, grid
and gear.
high-speed connections, while grid
couplings are generally the best
all-around selection for low-speed
connections.
V-belt and synchronous belt drives
are used extensively on parallel-shaft
mounted drives in powers up to 200
HP (150 kW) or for space-restricted
installations.
Shaft mounted connections (Figure
14) include flanged low-speed
couplings, hollow low-speed shafts
RIGID COUPLING
PURCH SHAFT
TORQUE ARM
VIEW OF LOW SPEED SHAFT
Figure 14 — A shaft mounted right angle
drive.
with shrink discs or tapered
bushings. For large shaft mounted
conveyor drives, a flanged low-speed
coupling is preferred, due to its ease
of mounting and ability to use
standard gear drives.
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l coupling type (grid, gear,
elastomer, disc), lubricated or
non-lubricated, torsionally rigid or
torsionally soft
l shaft diameters/keys
l service factor equal to gear drive
l clearance with set screw(s) or
interference coupling hub fits
l shaft coupling face key required
for high-speed backstop-equipped
applications
l hub puller holes or hydraulic
removal required on larger
couplings
l guarding that is compliant with
OSHA 1910.219 (Standard –
29CFR) Mechanical Power
Transmission Apparatus and in
conformance with ANSI and
ASME B20.16-1992 Safety
Standards for Conveyors and
Related Equipment and
B15.16-1998 Safety Standards for
Mechanical Power Transmission
Apparatus
PAINT
l
For most conveyor requirements, the
manufacturer’s standard paint
provides adequate protection against
corrosion. If a gear drive will be
exposed to a corrosive environment
and/or chemical attack, a premium
paint should be specified.
l
l
l
l
brakes (holding, dynamic)
flywheels (shaft mounted, jack
shaft mounted)
inching drives (manual, automatic)
heaters (immersion, recirculating)
monitoring devices (temperature,
vibration, speed, pressure/flow)
qualifications (ISO 9001, etc.)
references
After specification evaluation, a
contract is awarded. The chosen
supplier must adhere to the
negotiated contract. Once the
equipment is installed and
commissioned, ongoing monitoring
of operational performance should be
made to determine if the owners’
requirements were successfully met.
l
l
CONCLUSION
A specification is the process of
accumulating and applying actual
experience to develop guidelines and
requirements for new equipment
procurement. The gear drive
specification considerations for
conveyors outlined above will guide
facility personnel, consultants and
equipment suppliers in the proper
and dependable compilation of
conveyor drive system components
to meet a project’s productivity
requirements and goals.
Figure 15 — Drives exposed to direct sunlight will run cooler with a white reflective paint.r
(Figure 15)
Specifications that need to be
identified include:
l type of paint finish: one coat
phenolic alkyd primer with finish
coat alkyd enamel (standard paint )
or two coat epoxy paint with
abrasive blast for corrosive
environments
l color, if required, to match
uniform color or to reflect direct
sunlight (white)
l if standard paint will be top-coated
at the job site, check for
compatibility
ACCESSORIES AND
OPTIONS
In addition to the gear drive
assembly, there are accessories and
options that can be integrated to add
functionality and increase
performance. They include:
l soft start/controls (fluid,
electronic, variable)
l backstops (internal, external, low
speed)
REVIEWING SPECIFICATION
PROPOSALS
After the equipment proposals have
been received, a thorough review of
costs, conformance, alternatives and
suppliers must be completed. It is
recommended that the proposal be
reviewed in detail with those
suppliers under serious
consideration. Information that is
necessary during this review process
includes:
l pricing/initial costs
l data sheets
l operating costs
l warranties
l manufacturer’s product
specifications
l testing (no load, full load),
inspection (assembly, test,
commissioning) and verification
(documentation)
l commonality/spares costs
l service information and support
network availability (local
representation, factory support,
regional inventory, Internet)
References
Errichello, R. 1987, “How to buy a gearbox,”
Geartech, June.
Martin, J. 1993, “Conveyor system
specification development for surface
mining,” Martin Consultants, Inc., February.
Fluor Daniel, Project specifications, various.
Bechtel, Project specifications, various.
CEMA, 1994, “Belt conveyors for bulk
materials,” 3rd edition.
Falk, 1997, “Conveyor drive technology
seminar,” May.
Form 000305, August 2007
